Rose, “Crown Princess Margareta” by David Austen. Photo taken November 1, 2014
The roses which make it through to November have to be tough.
This one has been a special joy.
Rosa, “Crown Princess Margareta,” side view this morning.
We stop and enjoy its fragrance every time we walk up our driveway.
The rose bush is in a bed directly beside the drive; the first bed I dug, specifically for roses, once we came to this garden.
Our November rose in bud on October 19, 2014
These very tough David Austin roses have survived annual grazing from the deer, root damage from the voles, sun, drought, wind and snow.
And they still bloom this beautifully.
The same blossom of “Crown Princess Margareta” taken on October 25.
This particular rose began as a bud in mid-October. We had already enjoyed it for several days when I first photographed it on October 19.
It was so stunning, my partner suggested that we photograph it.
The same rose again on October 28.
Each day it has gotten more beautiful.
And through wind and rain, cold nights and sunny warm days it has lingered.
An unknown rose planted by the previous gardeners here. It is covered with fragrant buds and flowers today.
Last night we dropped into the mid-40’s here in our garden.
Today dawned overcast, cool and wet; bone shivering wet and windy.
Another bud of the same rose in bloom
So much so, that I was inspired to spend the morning bringing in a hanging geranium we’ve left outside in the crepe myrtle tree, the first of the succulent pots, and a even the large variegated geranium which has lived by our kitchen door since May.
Rosa, “Lady of Shalott,” another rose bred by David Austen. This shrub rose is extremely vigorous with tall,arching canes. It has bloomed non-stop since May.
But my first thought was for the roses. We love them so much this time of year as they give their final flowers of the season.
R. “Lady of Shalott” in bud
And our stalwart rose by the driveway continues to bloom, every petal intact, and offer up its fragrance each time we stop to visit.
We have made great effort to grow roses in this garden. It is the reason we work constantly to keep deer out of the garden, as rose buds are the sweetest of “deer candy.”
R. “The Generous Gardener,” a fairly new introduction from David Austen.
Given good soil, sun, and moisture; roses are relatively easy to grow.
But like pets and children, they require supervision and timely intervention.
R. The Generous Gardener
While tea roses thrive on pruning, shrub roses may be allowed to grow without such drastic pruning.
They respond well to having dead flowers cut off, spring shaping and general maintenance; but they require far less maintenance than the hybrid teas.
The last flower of the season on this floribunda rose from Jackson and Perkins.
David Austen’s hybrids are my favorites for fragrance, form, and color.
He has reached back over the centuries to the older full and fragrant varieties as the parents of his modern disease-resistant hybrids.
His hybrids offer the best of the old romantic roses on hardy, easy to care for shrubs.
Hybrid tea roses, like this one, generally have fewer than 40 petals per bloom. Austen’s hybrids frequently have more than 80 per bloom, offering rich fragrance.
We don’t ever “spray” here with chemicals. These roses are all grown organically. Once established, the shrubs remain healthy and give flowers all season long.
Even in November.
What more may any temperate climate gardener hope for than a garden full of roses on the first of November?
R. “Lady of Shalott, blooming in our garden this morning.
Photos by Woodland Gnome 2014
R. “Golden Celebration,” another of our favorite David Austen roses, at the end of May.
Forest Garden 